Reducing the amount of food that a person eats throughout the day is a guaranteed way to lose weight. Consuming fewer calories than are burned by the body through exercise is actually the only way to lose weight. The difficult part of weight-loss is finding a way to reduce the number of calories consumed while still feeling satisfied. There are some simple measures that can be taken to lessen the consumed calories and increase fat loss.
Identifying cravings and situations which cause the cravings, is a good step toward controlling calories. Often, when a person craves a specific type of food, hormones are the reason. Fluctuations of hormones during menstruation, menopause and pregnancy can contribute to over-eating. If a person is aware of these fluctuations, it is easier to avoid the issue of eating too much. Cravings can also come from an imbalance in blood sugar. Leaving several hours between meals and not allowing for snacks can cause the blood sugar to drop dramatically. This causes feelings of nausea or extreme hunger in most people. Those feelings often lead to eating foods that are calorie-dense or “comfort foods.”
Eating at regular intervals and choosing foods that are high in fiber can help to reduce your total food intake. High-fiber foods like fresh fruits and vegetables tend to make a person feel full without adding a large amount of fat and calories to their diet. Eating three healthy and balanced meals and three snacks throughout the day helps to regulate blood sugar. Without severe dips in blood sugar levels, a person is much less likely to overeat.
Choosing the correct foods can also limit the total calories consumed. Eating whole-grain breads, lean meats, vegetables and fruits will provide the body with complete nutrition while reducing excess calories. If the food that is eaten is limited to only these choices, total food intake will be reduced greatly. Limiting the choices of food that are available to a person is a good way to reduce intake as well. The best way to control consumption of sugar is to refrain from buying products that contain sugar. If the food is not available, it cannot be consumed.
There are some simple tricks to help reduce food intake which eventually change a person’s perceptions. Using smaller plates and bowls when serving meals is an excellent way to reduce food intake. Meals look much larger when served on smaller plates, which fools the body into believing that a large meal has been eaten. Changing the sizes of individual food group portions is also a good trick. Doubling the portion of vegetables while halving the portion of meat served at a meal, will greatly reduce calorie and fat consumption. Drinking a full glass of water prior to eating any type of food is also a good way to restrict calories. Water fills empty space in the stomach and leaves less space for high calorie solid foods.
